Conflicts & War

Ukraine dismisses Russia’s ‘dirty bomb’ claims

Lviv, Oct 24 (EFE).- Ukraine on Monday denied accusations from Russia that it is planning to set off an explosive device that disperses radioactive material on its own territory and then pin it on Moscow.

“Russia’s ‘dirty bomb’ disinformation campaign might be aimed at creating a pretext for a false flag operation,” Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

Kuleba said that he had “officially invited IAEA (UN nuclear watchdog) to urgently send experts to peaceful facilities in Ukraine.”

Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu delivered the warning during a phone call with his French and Turkish counterparts on Sunday, voicing his “concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a dirty bomb.”

In a joint statement, the United States, the United Kingdom and France rejected Shoigu’s “transparently false allegations” and reiterated their “steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.”

“We remain committed to continue supporting Ukraine’s efforts to defend its territory for as long as it takes,” the statement added.

Ukraine’s defense minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Ukraine has always been “extremely responsible” when it comes to nuclear security, adding that all of the war-torn country’s nuclear facilities are open for IAEA inspection.

“Lies about a ‘dirty bomb’ that Ukraine is supposedly preparing to use are an element of the Kremlin’s usual tactics. The one where Russian criminals are trying to preemptively blame the victim of aggression for their own crime,” he said in a post published on social media sites.

Reznikov went on to thank all of Ukraine’s allies for noticing this “dangerous Russian twaddle.”

“The best response to Russian accusations is decisive steps to increase pressure on the criminal terrorist regime in Moscow, as well as active assistance to Ukraine with means that will help cleanse our land from the scourge quicker,” he concluded.EFE

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